Why Am I So Anxious?

If your body reacts before your mind even knows what's happening...

come sit with me.

And let's take a few deep breaths together...

{{{deep - breath}}}

Let's begin here with this nagging thought...

“Why am I so anxious?”

You may not know what birthed the feeling...
there may not be anything obvious that's wrong...
and yet...
there it is...
that uncomfortable feeling...
the pressure...
the racing thoughts...
the tension of being unsettled...
the feeling that something isn't right...
even when you can't quite explain what it is.

If you've wondered why you feel this way - and even more important... how you STOP feeling this way...
you're not alone.

Let's explore what's happening...

Anxiety can become a learned response from past experiences.

When you're triggered...
chemicals are released in the body - and that uncomfortable feeling begins.

Then your brain gets involved - and It starts thinking uncomfortable thoughts...
and those thoughts feed the feeling.

The feeling feeds the thoughts...
the thoughts feed the feeling...
and the loop continues...
until you interrupt it.

That's important.

Because if the cycle can be interrupted...
you have the opportunity to make another choice.

Let’s look beneath the surface - and explore together...

There's something important to understand about anxiety:
Feeling anxious does not mean that something is wrong with you.

And it doesn't necessarily mean that something is wrong right now.

There are times when something happens - a difficult conversation, a frightening possibility, an unexpected bill, a painful memory - and your thoughts begin circling around it.

What happened?
What if it happens again?
What am I going to do?
What if I can't handle it?

And then something interesting happens...
your body can begin responding to what your mind is thinking about as though it's happening all over again.

In my work, I call this getting pulled into Survival Mode.

The original experience may be over - but the replay keeps the energy of the experience alive. The more familiar that pattern becomes, the easier it can be to slip into it again. Eventually, anxiety can begin to feel like who you are.

But it isn't who you are.

It's a pattern of "being" that you've experienced often enough that it begins to feel normal. Your thoughts, your feelings, your body and your subconscious can become caught in a loop that keeps reinforcing itself.

And here's where things begin to get interesting...
The moment you become aware of what's happening, you're no longer completely inside the pattern.

You can notice:

Oh... I'm feeling anxious.
I'm replaying that conversation.
I'm worrying about something that hasn't happened - or something that happened in the past.
My body feels like I'm in danger...
but I am sitting right here - physically safe.

That little moment of awareness matters.

Because awareness gives you something you may not realize you have:  a choice.

You don't have to fight the anxiety.
You don't have to judge yourself for feeling it.
And you don't have to figure out your entire life before you can experience a moment of peace.
You can begin by noticing where your energy is in this moment - then consciously choose what you want to experience instead.

That's where the work gets really interesting.

Because the question changes from:

“How do I get rid of my anxiety?”
to:
“What is my anxiety showing me... and what becomes possible when I learn how to use my own "power of choice" differently?”

That is a very different conversation.
And it's one we can explore together.

What becomes possible?

You don't have to believe every thought your anxious mind gives you.
You don't have to fight the feeling.
And you don't have to pretend everything is fine.

All that's asked of you is to accept your awareness and notice what's happening...
and - Breathe.

Create a little space between the thought and your response to it - and remember...
you have power within you.

Not the power to control everything around you (if only...)...
the power to consciously influence what is happening within you.

That's where your next choice lives.

Let's Take One Gentle Step

The next time you notice the pressure of anxiety making your body more tense...
pause.

Place one hand over your heart.

Take a slow breath in through your nose...
and drop your jaw as you exhale.

Repeat the deep breath and release by dropping your jaw a few times and embrace the relief your body feels.

Don't try to make the feelings of anxiety disappear - or push them away...
just accept the awareness of noticing it.

No judgment - just notice.

Then quietly say:

“I accept what I'm feeling in this moment.”

This acceptance doesn't mean you're in agreement with the feeling of anxiety or condone it.
Acceptance stops the friction of the internal battle.

Continue to breathe deeply and settle into this release of the tension - you've already interrupted the loop by becoming aware of it.

With another deep breath...
consciously choose the thought and feeling you want to experience and move toward.  These action steps are simple and powerful.

Here's a story from the Village...

One student described an experience that feels especially relevant here:

“My a-ha moment was recognizing the many different types of emotions under the umbrella of ‘fear.’”

And then:

“I feel different too -- empowered - because I was able to recognize my fear and make a choice of HOW I want to feel - then shift it.”

Continue exploring...

You may also be wondering...
💜 Why do I feel overwhelmed all the time?
💜 How do I stop worrying?
💜 How do I stop feeling so stressed?
💜 Why do I feel so stuck?
💜 How do I improve my life when I don't even know where to begin?

These discussions and so much more rest in The 1:11 Lodge.  Each Bridge Page is another gentle step toward remembering the wholeness that's already within you.

There's no rush.

We'll walk one bridge at a time.

Explore the Village →
Discover the loving support that's here for you and follow your heart.

Releasing the programmed response of embodying anxiety is possible.  Since it's new and different, it may feel scary to be without something that's been so normal for you, but that feeling is only temporary.  Embrace the LOVE that you are in deepest gratitude and the blissful feelings within you will grow and expand - you'll love it!